Going back to my old ways

My life has a lot of stress.  I usually thrive on it.  Work stress, dog stress, paying-my-stupid-student-loan stress.  I function better and faster the more stress I have.  I learned that skill from my mama.  

There is one type of stress that I just cannot deal with though: Sad stress.  My mind doesn't know how to handle it.  I can't function.  Can't think.  And usually can't feel.  Many of my best and oldest girl friends will be able to recall a time when I was sad-Jen.  And there's usually one thing that I would do... I would paint something. 

I'm a crafty girl.  For heaven's sake, I have acquired the nickname of Martha (as in Mrs. Stewart, of course).  There is something magical that happens when I'm covered in paint.  My head clears.  I tune out of my troubles.  I go to my happy happier place.  In college, my media was usually a canvas or some sort of decorative item.  I still have some of them stuffed away in a box in the basement.  Why? I do not know. 

Well, life's newest lesson is that it's troubles get bigger and grander as we get older.  So I had to up my painting ante to deal with my most recent news of getting benched.  So I painted an entire room.  By myself.  Bought the paint and painted it all in one day.  I picked my guest/maybe someday kids' bathroom to start with.  (I have more painting in mind for the next couple weeks... stay tuned for that)


As you can see, it was very dingy with the original white paint from when they built the house in 1994.  We are only ever in here to give Quinn a bath, and when we have a rare overnight guest, it gets a little use.

What was the inspiration?  Well, my favorite store, of course... 

I took a box with me to the local Sherwin Williams and had them mix me up a custom color to match it perfectly.  $49.00, a brush, roller, and paint later, I was ready to get started. 

    Big Change...

I came up with an ingenious (if I do say so myself) way to paint around the toilet without worrying about tape or getting paint on the backside of the bowl.  Stretch a trash bag over it and feel free to get messy... not a drop on the potty after I was done.  **pats self on back**

And here is the final product.  I still need some picture frames and probably a shelf (all in white), and a super fluffy white rug... but this is close enough to finished for my cheesy little blog.  

 My Quinny girl did not like the fact that I had locked her out of the bathroom for 2 1/2 hours.  Once I opened the door, she wouldn't leave.  The entire time that I was painting, she was laying outside the door on the futon mattress, batting the door every now and then with her paw, just to let me know that she was still out there.  It was both flattering and annoying... haha. 

 So there it is.  House project number 1.  It was nice to feel like I was accomplishing something.  When life /God/whatever gives me something that I cannot control, I don't take it very well.  So this is my way of gaining some control.  If I don't even get to try to make a human this month, then you bet your sweet ass that I'm going to do something.  I felt proud of my paint and celebrated with a beer - one of the perks of not being knocked up.  I got drunk off of one beer - but I think perhaps the fumes may have played a role in that.  No matter... I have my own Tiffany's store in my house now and that makes me semi happy.